Always Be Willing To Try New Things
by MyNameIsCrazy
Summary: (Set in the world of The Amazing Spider-Man with Andy Garfield) Charlize Andrews is the new girl. Moving to New York with her grandfather after her parents died was not her plan. But then she meets Spider-Man and she's got an instant crush. And then there's the other half of him, Peter Parker. Who will she fall in love with? PLEASE R&R OR I WILL CRY. (just joking)
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Spider-Man or anything related to it!

* * *

The world passed in a bleak, rain-soaked manner. The window of the black SUV sped along, seeming as though it was dodging raindrops. Staring out the window, her reflection was mirrored back to her, rainy and drenched. Sitting in the driver seat was her cheerful grandfather, only sixty-seven and still listening to Elvis. She just brushed her bangs aside and returned her chin to its hand-perch.

Just two days previous was her parents' funeral. A week ago, they had died in a fire at their family summer cottage at the Catskill Mountains campground. She was at a friend's cabin when people came running, screaming that a cabin was ablaze. She feared the worst and broke down into hysteric sobs when they brought her back to her own cottage. The fire was quickly put out but John and Therese's charred bodies were unrecognizable. The stench of burnt flesh and bonfire hung devastatingly in the air over the charming campsite.

Soon after the house was sold, fully furnished except for the most prized possessions; the crystal wine glasses, pictures, her mother's wedding dress and all of her other clothes, her jewelry, the silver cultery, everything from the girl's bedroom so that the only things left were the dresser and bare bed and nightstand.

Picking it all up in large bins, she piled it into her grandfather's SUV and moved it from Catskill to downtown New York City.

"Charlize, this will be a wonderful new life," her grandfather said cheerfully, masking the pain of losing his son and daughter-in-law. Charlize pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them.

"I miss Mom and Dad," she said, tears choking her vocal chords. Arthur took his right hand off the steering wheel and rubbed her back affectionately.

"I know you do, baby," he replied quietly. "I know."

The rest of the drive passed in silence, the only words exchanged being what did Charlize want for dinner. She just shrugged indecisively. She didn't have much of an appetite for anything lately.

* * *

It was close to midnight when the two finally arrived at the small house outside New York. Arthur picked up the sleeping girl bridal style and carried her into the house and up the stairs. Lying her on the empty bed, he covered her with a wool blanket until the morning.

When Charlize awoke, she was in her room, the whitewash walls bare and the wood floor polished. The smells of breakfast wafted up through the summer air. She sat up and stretched, seeing all of her bins sitting in stacks around the floor.

Charlize walked out of the room and down the carpeted stairs to the kitchen. Her grandfather was standing there with a spatula in hand and a plate in the other.

"Good morning, sunshine," he said cheerfully, handing her a plate with a Western omelet on it. She took it, grateful for the nourishment.

"Sleep well?" he asked. Charlize shook her head.

"Nightmare. I was burning, just like my mom and dad did. But it didn't hurt. I was watching them scream in agony, though," she said, hugging herself. Arthur came over to her and hugged her tightly.

"Everything will be alright. Why don't you go for some fresh air. Take a walk around the city for a while. I'll call you if I want you back home, okay?" he suggested, tilting her head up so he could look in her sad brown eyes. He tucked a lock of loose brown hair behind her ear and smiled. He kissed her forehead and Charlize stood.

"Thanks for the omelet but I'm not hungry. I will go on that walk though," she said, kissing his cheek lightly. He gave her a half hearted smile and she walked out of the house. Pulling the hood of her shirt halfway up over her head, she shoved her hands in her jeans pockets. She walked along a park fence and then down to the harbor. There she found something miraculous. A man, in a red and blue spandex suit, jumping, climbing and swinging around old boats.

She stood behind the wall, just watching him. Then he was gone. The sound of an extending thread happened behind her and she spun around to find him hanging upside down, looking at her.

"Well, hello. How are you?" he asked politely. He let go of the spider silk and stood in front of her.

"I'm fine," she stammered. "I just moved here. My parents died and I moved in with my grandpa." She felt like she just told him her entire life story.

"Who exactly are you?" she asked in return.

"Just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man," he said, shooting a silk at a build quite a distance away and disappearing, leaving her dumbstruck.

"Wow," she whispered, sinking the ground, her knees pulled up to her chest, back up against the wall. She sat there for a while until her phone rang.

"Charlie, it's Grandpa," Arthur said on the other line.

"Hi, Grandpa," she replied. Her grandfather was the only person whom she allowed to call her 'Charlie'.

"Will you come home now?" he asked. "I'm making dinner and I would like your help. Oh, and I invited our neighbors, the Parkers, over for dinner. It's just two of them, May and her nephew, but still, they're a friendly group."

Charlize was looking forward to having company. She agreed to come home right away and within half an hour of his call, she was standing in front of her grandfather.

"Charlie, will you go put on something a little nicer please?" he asked and she complied happily. Making her way upstairs, she heard talking in the kitchen as well as laughing.

By the time she was back downstairs, she was introduced to May Parker and her nephew, Peter. Charlize smiled at the two people and took a seat across from Peter.

"So, Charlize, Arthur told us you have just moved here. Where did you move from?" May asked.

"I moved from Catskill," Charlize replied. She was looking at Peter who was extremely cute. His glasses were rather old and geeky-looking, but that added to his cuteness. His messy chestnut hair looked like it was hastily styled and she liked that.

"Have you met the city's so-called hero yet?" Peter asked, setting down his fork rather abruptly and looking at her.

"Well, as a matter of fact, yes. I have. He seems very nice," she said, making a general assumption. May and Peter exchanged knowing looks that Charlize, thankfully, didn't catch.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: For kindleflame5, I changed the story. I agree with you, my friend, that it would be sexier if she unmasked him herself. It would be such a shock to her that the guy she was falling for would turn out to be her best friend. Thank you for your review! I hope you review it again after you read the modified chapter!**

* * *

At midnight, Charlize awoke to someone tapping on the glass of her window. She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. She looked at the window and saw Spider-Man crouching at the window. She rushed over and opened the window enough for him to climb in. He sat on the floor and she resumed her position of sitting on her bed.

"So what brings you around here this late at night?" she asked, smiling coyly.

"Well, I heard that you met my friend Peter Parker. Is that true? Because if it isn't, a little spider will be in big trouble," he replied. He crouched on the floor, his glistening eyes fixated on her.

"Yes I have. So no poor spiders will have any wrath to face," she smiled with a mock pouty face. She was doing her best to flirt, hoping he'd pick up the hints.

"Well, what did you think of him?"

"He's a... Well, how can I put this nicely? A bit socially awkward. And that's coming from a girl who just moved here!" she sighed, laughing quietly.

"You really think that about him?" He felt stung. She found him socially awkward?

"He's also a bit of a nerd with those glasses. His aunt is very nice, though." Charlize sat back without the faintest idea of who she was REALLY talking to.

"If that's all, then I'll be going," he started, making his way to the window.

"No, Spider-Man, wait!" she called, half off of her bed.

"No, I have to go. See you around," he said, shooting a silk out of the window and jumping out into the night.

* * *

As he flew through New York, everything Charlize said was on repeat in his mind.

'He's a bit socially awkward; He's also a bit of a nerd with those glasses.' He shook his head and landed atop a skyscraper, perching on the ledge. He listened to the sounds of the cars below and this helped, though not a lot, to lull his mind out of remembering her words.

He remembered though, in stead of her words, her body language of how she acted around Spider-Man. She was coy, flirtatious, and charming. Around Peter, she was stiff and unresponsive. He picked up a loose rock and lobbed it into the sky. Pulling off his mask, he made an angry face and it and cast it aside.

He rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He desperately wanted to tell her who he was, but if he did, she'd only love him because he was Spider-Man. If he let it go, she would only be inn love with Spider-Man, the girl-stealing bastard of an alter-ego. He stood from the ledge and jumped down onto the rooftop. He kicked a few pebbles around and decided to go back home.

* * *

The next morning, Peter awoke to rapping on his bedroom door. Aunt May's voice from the hall drifted into the room.

"Charlize is here, Peter," she said. He stumbled out of bed and hurried to get changed into jeans and a red v-neck t-shirt. He ran down the stairs, jumping the last four stairs. He hurried into the living room, just in time to see Charlize's brown hair whip around her face to see him.

"Hey, how are you?" she asked cheerfully. She wasn't sure if she liked him as a friend or not, but it was a good idea to have new friends in a new city.

"Good. Yourself?" he replied.

"Wonderful. Spider-Man came to my room last night. He's so amazing. He's nice, and kind, and funny, and not to mention very attractive," she sighed dreamily.

"You don't even know what he looks like!" Peter laughed. The two sat on the couch, and Charlize pulled her legs up under her.

"I know, but I can already tell that he's gorgeous," she replied. He was right that she didn't even know who he was. But she was in love with him anyway.

"What did you come over here for?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, not much really, just to talk. What's there to do around here for fun?" she replied, interested in the social activities.

"Nothing really. Unless Spider-Man shows up. Then there's a news crew or two surrounding him. I pity the poor guy. He's a good friend," Peter continued.

Her face lit up. "You know Spider-Man personally?" she asked, overenthusiastic that he knew him. Peter nodded.

"He and I go way back. Actually, I helped create him. He's a great guy. You should get to know him better. I think he'd like you. Especially if you said he was in your room last night," Peter said, lying through his teeth. She shone brighter than the sun on a coffee break.

"Do you think you could properly introduce us?" she asked wildly, getting in his face, her breath hot on his lips.

"Of course I could," he replied, pulling out his phone. He pretended to text someone and then put his phone down. A minute later it 'buzzed' and Peter smiled.

"He said he'll meet you tonight, down at the docks, at around six. Can you make it?" he asked, rhetorically.

She nodded fervently. "Of course I can! I'd drop everything I was doing to meet him!"

Peter smiled and 'replied' to the text. "Great. I just told him."


	3. Chapter 3

She was dressed in a low-cut V-neck shirt and a stripped hooded cardigan along with skinny jeans, and a pair of high-heeled brown boots. Her hair was straight and her eyes were made up in a smoky style. In her opinion and the opinion of her grandfather, she looked extremely pretty.

She wandered around, her footsteps resounding loudly off of the metal and concrete of the industrial dock. There was a soft thud behind her and she spun around, her hair whipping behind her.

"Hey. You must be the proper Charlize. I remember you from yesterday, although Peter told me a lot about you. Especially that you're excited to meet me," Spider-Man said, crossing his arms over his chest. She had to admit, he was rather sassy.

"Hello," she said in a coy tone. She walked closer, swaying her hips slightly.

"How are you tonight?" he asked, walking around her. She smiled.

"I'm doing rather well. And yourself?" she replied, her voice low and sexy.

He loved the way she flirted. She was coy and cunning and very sexy at doing so. He wanted to rub her back under her shirt, feel her lips on his, her touch, everything. But it would be him as Spider-Man. The girl-stealing bastard of an alter-ego strikes again. If only he could tell her. No; he had to wait. He had to get her to fall in love with both of the personalities.

"So, what is your real name, Spider-Man?" she asked, confronting him, the two pressed chest to chest. She ran a finger down his left arm, making his skin tingle.

"If I told you, I wouldn't be able to keep you surprised, now would I?" he flirted. He smiled behind his mask, a smile she couldn't see.

She shrugged and stepped back, smiling. "I guess you're right," she said coolly. He wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her close. She braced her arms on his chest, his taut muscles underneath flexed. She smiled as he shot a silk at a far-in-the-distance building.

"Want to see the city my way?" he asked, holding both Charlize and the silk firmly.

"Is there any other way than yours?" she smiled, holding him tightly so she wouldn't fall. Not that he'd let her, but she was still a little paranoid.

"Then let's go," he said, taking her whirling through the air. She screamed in delight, flying through the city, the lights a blur, like a swarm of fireflies. It was like a dream, a daze, a high. She felt invincible in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes tightly when they started to drop, but opened them immediately after when they were stabilized again.

She was closing her eyes so tightly, that her forehead was starting to hurt. She felt a pressure on her feet but refused to look.

"It's okay, we're on solid ground now. Well, on top of a building, but you know what I mean. Hey, look," he said, touching her shoulders lightly. She opened her eyes slowly, looking around. Spider-Man was standing in front of her, the city surrounding them. She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered. Peter looked at her through his mask and cupped her face.

"Like you," he said softly. She smiled and shook her head.

"No I'm not. I never was, never have been." She hugged her arms to her torso, rubbing her upper arms.

"What are you talking about? Of course you're beautiful!" he scolded. "I know someone else who thinks you are, too." She turned to look at him.

"Who?" she asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Peter. He thinks you're gorgeous, he just is to nervous and shy to tell you what he thinks," he said, voicing what was built up inside his head. She smiled.

"Tell him thank you for the compliment. It's nice to know two guys think I'm pretty." She seemed still unsure of herself, though.

"Want to know why you're beautiful?" he asked her, pulling her hands away from her body and holding them in his.

"Why?" she asked, tearily. He let go of one of her hands and wiped away a tear that leaked from her gorgeous brown eyes.

"You're kind and sweet and caring and funny and smart," he replied. pulling her closer and cupping her face again. She raised her free hand and pushed his mask up so that it revealed his mouth. She moved her face closer and he closed the distance between them. He let go of her other hand and wrapped his arms around her waist. She snaked her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

Kissing her was like breathing. It was so easy, so wonderful. He never wanted this moment to end. But like all the wonderful (and sexy) things in the world, it did.

She pulled away, smiling. "Wow," she breathed.

"That your first proper kiss?" he asked, smiling as he pulled his mask back down over his mouth. She nodded, blushing slightly.

"Well it won't be your last," he added. She wrapped his arms around his waist, embracing him tightly.

"Thank you," she murmured. He closed his arms around her neck, breathing in her scent. It smelled like lilies and honey.

"I should get you home," he announced. She nodded and they left the rooftop.

* * *

He set her lightly on the floor in her room then left. She rushed to her window, watching him disappear.

Crossing over to her bed, she sat down. Touching her lips lightly, she smiled. Curling up with her body pillow, Charlize fell fast asleep, not even seeing her grandfather standing in her bedroom doorway, smiling.

* * *

Returning to the spot where they kissed, Peter replayed the entire night in his head, ending with the kiss. Her lips were so soft and sweet, he knew that he would never get tired of her kisses. He imagined her kissing him over and over and all over his body and a low moan of lust escaped his lips. But he didn't care. He yelled loudly into the night, a victory yell, his arms high in the air. He felt accomplished, successful, happy. Ever since Gwen had moved, he was moody and miserable. But now that Charlize was in his life, he felt whole again.

But he could never tell her. At least, not as Peter he couldn't. As Spider-Man, he could tell her anything.

Swinging back home, he landed in the backyard. He entered the house via the back door where Aunt May was standing.

"So how was your night?" she asked, smiling.

He gripped her shoulders and grinned like he never had before. "She kissed me, Aunt May! SHE KISSED ME!" he cried, hugging his aunt tightly, spinning her around. Aunt May laughed and kissed his cheek.

"Now, the question is, were you Peter or Spider-Man?" she asked.

"Spider-Man, but that doesn't make any difference!" he exclaimed happily.

Aunt May gave him a serious look. "Then she didn't kiss YOU personally. She kissed a part of you. That makes all the difference in the world, Peter! If you keep her in the dark, so to speak, then she will never love you for you! She will only love Spider-Man."

"I'm working on that! I told her how I felt about her. Well, Spider-Man did for me, but it was so much easier to say those kind of things when she doesn't know it's me," he explained, grabbing a Coke from the fridge and cracking the top open.

"If you keep your true identity a secret, then she will only love you for being Spider-Man. Do you understand? You have got to tell her! Otherwise it will be too late to earn her love," Aunt May sighed. She was always right, about everything. Especially about girls.


	4. Chapter 4

Sitting on her bed the next morning, she was sorting through paperwork for school. It was only mid July, but she needed to get it done by mid August. And it was only a month away. Her grandfather sat at her computer desk on the opposite side of the room, filling out the designated parent/legal guardian paperwork and had the necessary papers; her birth certificate, her parents' wedding certificate, a canceled check, a bill saying that they lived there, all that hoo-hah.

"Hey, Grandpa?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he replied, looking at her.

"Can we go out for a picnic in Central Park today?" she asked. They hadn't been on a picnic since the last time she was to visit him, which was the summer of her tenth birthday.

"Of course, baby. We can take a break now and I'll go get some food ready. Do you want to invite Peter and his aunt?" Arthur asked, rising from the computer chair.

Charlize shook her head. "I want it to just be us," she said, setting the application form aside. she followed her grandfather to the kitchen where she helped him prepare chicken salad sandwiches, potato salad, fruit drinks from the blender, and cookies that Arthur had made yesterday.

Packing it all in a picnic basket, they drove to Central Park. Walking through the vast park and listening to children yell and laugh, she felt like she was back in the happy universe she knew. Her parents by her side, her grandmother with them, before she was diagnosed with cancer (to die a year later) and her grandparents' golden retriever, Henry. They were happy together.

But now it was seventeen-year-old Charlize, her sixty-seven-year-old grandfather, and a picnic basket. No parents, no grandma, no dog. It was so lonely. She loved her grandfather, but she felt so abandoned. She blamed herself for her parents' deaths. She felt that, if she had been there in the cottage, she could've prevented it.

* * *

"_Gods, Mom! Why do you have to treat me like a kid! I'm sick and tired of it! I'm seventeen for God's sake!" she shouted at the pretty brunette who was her mother._

_"Well, if you're so grown up, start acting like it and maybe I will stop treating you like a child!" her mother countered angrily. Charlize groaned angrily and stomped out of the house. She walked along the dusty ark road until she came to her friend's cottage. She knocked and the door was immediately answered. _

_"Hey, what's up?" her friend, Marie, asked. _

_"Had a fight with my parents," Charlize mumbled. _

_"What now?" Marie sighed, leading her over to the couch, the two girls sitting down._

_"I wanted to go on that overnight hike tonight, an they wouldn't let me," she explained. Her friend rubbed her knee comfortingly. _

_"I heard that half the guys are going to chicken out anyway because they're not ballsy enough to spend the night out in the wild," Marie said. _

_"But still, I wanted to go! And they just flat out said no! They always did this to me. Whenever I wanted to have some fun with kids my age, they always shoot me down!" Charlize started to cry tears of anger and laid her head on her friend's lap. _

_About half an hour later, some guy came running into their area, screaming that a cabin was ablaze. The two girls, plus Marie's parents came running out of their cabin. Everyone was outside and following the guy back to the cabin. Back to Charlize's cabin. _

_"MOM! DAD!" she screamed, making an effort to get to the burning house. A pair of strong arms pulled her back. _

_"No, Charlize! You'll get yourself killed!" the man said. She was screaming and crying and thrashing to get to the house, to find her parents._

_But when the fire was out, firefighters came out of the house, carrying two long body bags. The smell of burnt flesh and a bonfire hung heavily in the air. _

_She screamed a bloodcurdling scream. She sunk to the ground and curled up in a ball, weeping and sobbing and screaming uncontrollably. It was all her fault. She felt so guilty that her parents had died. Being of the family, she was allowed back into the scorched house to collect anything of value. Going right to her room, she found the fire-proof safe that her parents stored everything of value in; their money, any jewelry that they had, and any other personal things that they wanted to keep safe. Why hadn't they put themselves in there? _

_Upon opening it, she found everything that her parents held dear in the cottage, completely intact. Clearing out out, she jail broke the lock, not caring who had it now._

* * *

_A few days later, at their funeral in Catskill, Charlize stood as still as stone, not weeping, not even feeling. But when the mourning party had moved on to the brunch, she stood__ at the foot of her parents' fresh graves._

_"How can you sons-of-bitches stuff your faces when members of your families just died?" she said, low and angry. Placing two white roses on the mounds of dirt, a single tear leaked from her eye. _

_"I'm sorry I yelled at you guys. I know you wanted me to be safe. I will admit, I was acting like a child, Mom. I love you guys so much. Goodbye," she said quietly, walking over to her grandfather's SUV. _

_The drive back to her house felt like a lifetime. Going through the house, collecting things before it sold felt like even longer. A large gray bin or two was in each room, ready for the overload of practically everything except the furniture. _

_When they were all packed ( which took two days), Charlize was ready. Having spent her last night ever in her childhood home, she locked up and said goodbye to each room, then finally, the house collectively. _

_Her grandfather helped her move all the boxes to the back of the SUV, then they set out for New York._

* * *

They laid out the picnic blanket and set out the delicious spread. Sitting on the blanket brought back so many memories.

While they ate, her grandfather asked her if there was anything in specific she was thinking about.

"I can't help but blame myself for their deaths," she said, staring at her chicken sandwich.

"You can't. It's not like you can go back in time and change anything. If you did, I would never have you here, or you would have never met Peter or Spider-Man," he said consolingly.

"I know,"she said sadly. She laid down on her grandfather's lap and continued to eat her sandwich.


	5. Chapter 5

He laid on his bed, thinking, staring at the ceiling and off into space. She loved Spider-Man. Not him. But it wouldn't stay that way for long. The feel of Charlize's lips over his was like pure bliss. But that was what Spider-Man felt. Everything she felt towards him were feelings towards Spider-Man. But at least Spider-Man was a part of him, and not some completely separate guy.

His phone went off and he read the text. It was from Charlize.

"**My birthday is in three days. Want to come over for a small party? I'm making cupcakes. :)**" she texted.

Peter replied to the text that he would love to. Especially since he liked cupcakes. He set his phone down next to him and drifted off into sleep.

* * *

_He walked along a dark alley that was wet and foggy. Ahead, there were voices, a male and a female voice, conversing quietly. He emerged from the smoke from the buildings' heating systems to find the personification of Spider-Man and Charlize, engaged in a deep conversation about someth__ing very risqué. Charlize was only wearing a tank top and a pair of short-shorts. Then, right in front of him, they kissed, despite Spider-Man's mask. They broke apart and then noticed Peter standing there, dumbstruck._

_"Face it, she's mine. She'll never love you. Anyway, she called you socially awkward and nerdy," said the Spider-Man personification. _

_"No, NO!" he shouted._

* * *

"NO!" he shouted, sitting up in bed. Rubbing his forehead, he swung his legs over the side of his bed. Running his hands through his hair, he shook his head and stood. Wi

th a slight dizzy feeling, he immediately sat back down, feeling his head swimming.

"Peter! Will you come down here for a minute?" Aunt May called. This time, Peter stood slowly and walked over to his bedroom door. Heading down the stairs, he met with Aunt May.

"Yeah, Aunt May?" he asked, following her into the kitchen.

"Did Charlize invite you over for her birthday this weekend?" she asked. Peter nodded and Aunt May smiled.

"Why?"

"Oh, just wondering. That reminds me. Will you be going as Peter, or Spider-Man?"

How could she ask this question? She knew he would be torn, as to which persona Charlize wanted to see more, but she must've know he was fighting with himself, because she laughed and hugged him.

"It was a test, Peter. I knew you would be going as yourself," she said, letting him go. Peter smiled and hugged his aunt again.

"You're the best, Aunt May," he said and rushed out of the kitchen and back up the stairs.

* * *

Preparing for her birthday wasn't the way she planned on spending her Friday night. She wanted to be out with Spider-Man, seeing the city for her birthday. But instead, she was cooped up inside.

Taking the tray of cupcakes out of the oven, she set them on the window sill, a warm summer breeze blowing the curtains. The frosting was in the mixing bowl by the sink and a plate was freshly frosted next to it. Smells of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry wafted through the sunny yellow kitchen. Charlize bustled around in shorts and a black tank top she up cycled to a pretty cherry top with red lace around the bottom and ribbon for sleeves and cherry button charms around the neckline. Her long brown hair was tied back in a low braid and it was adorned with ribbon.

"Those cupcakes smell good, Charlie," her grandfather said, smiling and trying snag a cupcake. Charlize bat his hand away and chided him, a grin on her beautiful face.

"Those are for tonight, Grandpa," she said, smiling. Charlize was looking forward to spending time with their neighbors. But she was especially looking forward to hopefully be spending time with Spider-Man afterwards. She would have to talk to Peter to see if his friend's plans were full. She fervently prayed they weren't.

* * *

The cheerful company of four sat down at the dining room table, ready to dig into the delicious spread. Peter and Charlize sat next to each other, the latter completely unaware that she had had her first kiss with the former.

All through dinner, Peter kept eying Charlize as she laughed, chatted and just made merry through the night with Aunt May and himself. Since it was her birthday, he would make sure that Spider-Man would pay her an extra special visit tonight.

Peter kept catching glimpses of her hands, slender and delicate, and the nails, painted a sea green with jewels and a glittery top coat. They looked so artistic and he made a mental note to compliment her on them tonight.

After dinner, the four enjoyed cupcakes and the evening sunset. Peter sent her an anonymous message, saying that it was "Spider-Man" and he was looking forward to seeing her tonight.

She jumped up excitedly as soon as she received the text and excused herself. Peter watched her go, and excused himself as well, saying that he had some summer homework he wanted to get a head start on.

He got to his room and pulled off his shirt and pants, revealing the Spider-Man suit. Pulling on his mask, he swung out of the room and sat in a tree outside of Charlize's house, across the street and waited.

Giving it about ten minutes, he swung over to her bedroom window and tapped on the glass. The shades were immediately drawn and she stood there, in jeans and the same top she was wearing during dinner, beaming.

She opened the window and he stepped in.

"Well, I heard that today is your birthday," he said frankly. Charlize nodded and continued to smile.

"I'm eighteen now," she said excited. Peter smiled at her behind his mask and grasped her hand.

"Shall we go?" he asked, pulling her close and leading her over to the window. She nodded and the two stepped out onto the rooftop and swung out into the dying sunlight.


	6. Chapter 6

Landing back on top of the same building that they had been on when they first kissed, Charlize and Peter sat, face to...um...mask, talking, laughing and just getting to know each other better.

"So how long have you known Peter?" she asked, slightly blushing.

'Why is she blushing when she "likes" Spider-Man?' Peter thought, looking at her confusedly. Why had this question cropped up?

"I've known him for a few years, actually," he said, answering her question. "Why?"

"Oh, just wondering," she replied, looking pointedly at a spot an inch past his right ear.

Peter was very cute, and he was right about what he said, on the subject of her 'loving' Spider-Man when she didn't even know what he looked like. But she so desperately wanted to know what he did.

"What do you think of him? I mean, is he a good person morally or what?" she drilled, though trying to hide the fact that she was thoroughly interested in both men.

"Why all these questions about Peter?" he asked, bewildered at her interest. She shrugged and bit her pouty lip.

"I know this may sound dumb, but I might kind of be interested in both you and Peter," she answered nervously. "But I know you're really good friends, and I would never want to break up your friendship!"

Peter looked at her like she had sprouted six more heads and each spat fire and had twelve forked tongues per mouth. He shook his head and finally found the words to tell her.

"Charlize, I'm," he started. She looked intrigued, and he knew that he couldn't divulge his biggest secret just yet.

"Nothing," he finished, smiling, though she couldn't see it.

"You're nothing? Come on, tell me," she urged, wanting to know what he was about to tell her.

"You look so pretty in the moonlight, did you know that?" he said, twirling a lock of her brown hair around his gloved finger. She smiled and moved closer to him, still sitting cross-legged.

"Thanks," she said, the redness of her cheeks returning, making her look like a pink moon flower. He pulled her onto his lap and then the two lay down, staring up at the sky, watching planes and what stars they could see circle the inky abyss.

"What do you think is out there?" she asked, her hand on his chest, drawing circles on it through the fabric with her finger. The feeling felt so alien, but sent a heat pulsing from that one spot to his fingertips and toes and through his brain.

"Aliens and monsters," he teased, rubbing circles on her shoulder, his shoulder under her head, cushioning it from the rocks on the roof.

"Oh you're so funny," she replied sarcastically. "But seriously, what's out there other than our solar system?"

"Other solar systems and planets that are uncharted and unreachable by generic scientific study," he said frankly. She looked at him with a smile on her face, a smile that unmistakably meant that she thought he was still pulling her leg. "I think," he added, and she laughed, resting her head on his chest. His rhythmic breathing was in time with hers and she closed her eyes and smiled. This is what love really was, she guessed.

She snuggled in closer and closed her eyes, smiling. She breathed in his scent and it was oddly familiar. The musky cologne that Peter always wore was rather prominent in the fabric fibers.

'Strange,' she thought, but made nothing of it. Peter smiled behind the mask and rested his cheek on her hair, breathing in the familiar warm scent that was unique to her. He so desperately wanted to tell her, but it was too soon.

A thought hit her and her eyes flew open and she sat bolt upright. Peter looked at her in amazement.

"Is there anywhere to go surfing around here?" she shot enthusiastically. Peter stared at her and burst out laughing.

"This is New York, not Venice Beach, honey!" he snorted. Charlize looked thoroughly put out and harumphed.

"But to make it up to you, I'll see if Peter will take you to the beach tomorrow. Sound good to you?" he asked. Her eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously.

"I'd love that!"

"I know he'd be happy to take you. I'll just let him know when I drop you off at home tonight," Peter said in reply. He was really looking forward to taking her to the beach.

* * *

The next morning, Peter walked over to Charlize's house and knocked. The door opened and her grandfather was standing in the doorway, smiling down at him.

"Hi, maboy," he said, ushering him into the cozy house.

"She'll be down shortly," Mr. Andrews added ,walking towards the kitchen. Peter nodded and took a seat on the couch, waiting for Charlize.

There was a creak on the stairs and she bounded in, wearing a skimpy and very sexy bikini. Peter's eyes grew wider than dinner plates and when she saw him, she grinned.

"Like it? It's new," she said, a purr in her voice. Peter nodded numbly and Charlize zipped into the kitchen. He could hear hushed voices and laughter, then she came back out and headed for the stairs.

"And put some clothes on! You'll make the poor boy's eyes fall out!" her grandfather called, laughing. He stood in the archway into the kitchen, drying his hands with a dishtowel. From the doorway, she turned around and stuck her tongue out, smiling. Peter couldn't help but smile as well.


End file.
